1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to artificial fish lures and, more particularly, to a fish lure of the jerkbait type.
2. Description of Related Art
Heretofore, fish lures of the jerkbait type have been provided. For instance U.S. Pat. No. 2,525,733 to Suick discloses a fishing lure that comprises an elongated, tapered body having a distinctly wider head end than tail end. The lower side of the head end is recessed, and a plurality of multiple barbed hooks are suspended from the bottom of the body. A rearwardly extending strap and a separate, rearwardly extending tail piece are secured in the tail end of the body. A screw is threaded through the distal end of the strap and engages the upper surface of the tail piece whereby the angle of inclination of the tail piece can be varied to control the weaving and diving movement of the bait as it is drawn through water.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,182,067 to Pfister et al. discloses a fish lure comprising an elongated, rearwardly tapering body portion having a head end and a tail end, and a plurality of hooks extending from the bottom thereof. The body portion has a bottom recess formed at its head end which provides a water engaging surface for imparting a life-like action to the lure as it is drawn through water by a line attached to the head end of the lure. The tail end of the body portion is provided with a thin, flat, flexible tail-like diving fin which can be bent upwardly or downwardly, as desired, to regulate the depth at which the lure dives through water as the lure is retrieved, as by a jerking action, through water.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,220 to Couillard discloses a fishing lure having an elongated tailing portion with a flat belly behind a much shorter head portion. The head portion includes a longitudinal arcuate recess on its underside and a transverse arcuate recess in its upper side. The head portion further includes a nose protruding to extend below the line of the flat belly. In operation, when a fishing line connected to the fishing lure is jerked, the fishing lure will exhibit a diving motion.
However, the lures described above suffer from a variety of drawbacks. For instance, such lures display one or more of the following motions when retrieved at the end of a fishing line with a jerk and pause motion: darting with a zig-zag, wobble or erratic motion, diving and floating to the water surface while the retrieve is paused. These actions are often difficult to control, haphazard in nature and determined to a degree by the random positions the lure occupies when a forward jerk occurs. Therefore, there is a high degree of unpredictability in the motion that will be exhibited by the lure.
Additionally, anglers often use live small baitfish such as minnows when fishing for larger fish such as muskies and pike. It is not unusual, when utilizing minnows or other baitfish as bait, to allow the water in which the minnows are being stored to become depleted of oxygen. The minnows held in a container with a very low dissolved oxygen level will become afflicted with the sickness of oxygen depravation and will begin floating on their sides at the top of the container. When disturbed, these minnows will instinctively right themselves and swim to the perceived safety of the bottom of the container. In their weakened state, they will be unable to maintain their position at the bottom of the container and will involuntarily roll to their sides and float to the surface.
Accordingly, a need exists for a fish lure that has a more predictable action during retrieval. A further need exists for a fish lure that is designed to mimic a sick or injured baitfish.